


Ink Drops on Unbound Pages

by Feathers Lakshmana (SleepingEmpress)



Series: Naruto Oneshot Drabbles [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Animators, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drabble, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-16 20:14:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16501979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleepingEmpress/pseuds/Feathers%20Lakshmana
Summary: Through pen and paper, and the right friend, Hinata manages to find the courage to stand up for what she wants and take the road she wants to take.





	Ink Drops on Unbound Pages

**Author's Note:**

> Okaay, so this series is gonna be a wild mix with no specific pairings and ratings. I'll just be venting and stuff.
> 
> This one is dedicated to a very close friend who met the love of his life in animation.

They weren't perfect. No one was. But somehow they slotted seamlessly together. The kind of people that fell into place and just, worked together. That the more they got to know each other, the more they just clicked.

They met in high school, sharing the same classes. Naruto, from what she had seen was all sunshine and boundless energy. His limited attention span, which she would later learn was largely inherited from his late, hot headed mother, meant that Naruto spent the latter part of class doodling into his notebook. Also inherited from his mother were his drawing skills, or so everyone claims because the Uzumaki were legendary when it comes to the works of art they can produce. And the property damage that comes with it.

Later he would come to explain that he spent a majority of his free time going through manga and video games as most boys their age tended to do, (not that Hinata knew because the only teenage boy she was constantly around of was Neji and Neji was far from normal.) From there Naruto developed the style of his "doodles" which took average people hours to replicate. In the midst of making another samurai where he really should be taking notes, a timid voice distracts him.

"That looks like Kubo-sensei's work," Hinata blurts out in excitement when she notices her seatmate's drawings, before squeaking. She was unable to believe she actually spoke up. Her seatmate turns to face her and grins at the girl, apparently thrilled to find someone who easily recognized the mangaka, and by extension manga, who shaped his drawing skills.

"You recognize it?! One day I'll be as great as Kubo-sensei, dattebayo!" the boy practically exclaims, only to be hit in the head by a piece of chalk.

"Pay attention Naruto!" their history teacher, Iruka Umino growled from upfront. "And stop disturbing the class!"

"Ah, sorry sensei, I didn't mean to be so loud," Naruto scratched the back of his head with a grin before he turned back to his seatmate who was redder than a tomato, hiding behind her bangs. "Hey I'm Naruto by the way. Naruto Uzumaki!"

"I...i know...," she replied before flushing even more. "I... I mean I he..heard Iruka-sensei call y..you out j..just now.. not that I'm b..being creepy!" she stammered, promptly wishing for the ground to eat her up. "I.. I'm Hinata Hyuga. It's nice to meet you... N..naruto-san."

So was the start of a good friendship. Hinata would later tell her new friend that she was the heiress of Hyuga Inc., the company her father and uncle built. It heaped a lot of expectations on to her and she took up manga to cope with the ever increasing pressure from her family.

She and Naruto bonded over their shared love for manga, talking about it more and more everyday. Slowly other topics got integrated as well and they spent more and more of their free time together.

Upon learning that she could draw as well, they grew even closer. Free periods found them sitting together with papers around them as they drew non stop, all the while talking and talking, seamlessly flitting from one topic to the other.

It wasn't easy. Staying friends. Not when Hinata's family disapproved but for the first time she found herself standing up for what she wanted. She would stick by her first (and for the longest time, only) friend.

When college came, they took the same course. They went into fine arts, far from what her family wished but it was where she would be happy. She wanted to stand by Naruto, and make the greatest manga of all time. That was their dream. Their goal.

Naruto was there all the while, supporting her. Slowly but surely, they fell in love. There was no grand declaration. No obnoxious way of asking the other out. It just fell into place, like everything else they did.

Hiashi, seeing her daughter happy was content. Perhaps he had gone the wrong way in teaching her how to stand up for herself and that was something he would owe Naruto. He was a Hyuga of course, and his pride wouldn't allow him to leave debts unpaid so with that thought, he chose not to force his eldest to follow his path. Hanabi was perfectly capable (and willing) to run the company after all.

In the end, Hinata would look back to those years and be thankful she blurted out those first words to the man who has become her partner, best friend and husband.


End file.
